The present invention relates to the field of security shelters for small personal transportation vehicles such as motorcycles, bicycles, and four-wheelers. Such vehicles as are stored in these shelters are quite common in the field of transportation and, furthermore, are experiencing an especially large resurgence in the United States as environmentally conscience citizens turn towards these more environmentally friendly modes of transportation. Unfortunately, the growth in this segment of transportation has been somewhat inhibited by the inherent differences between passenger automobiles and the existing infrastructure.
For instance, personal transportation vehicles, be they bicycles, motorcycles, or two wheeled Segway® scooters, are lighter weight and are more easily stolen than their passenger car cousins. In attempts to avoid theft, owners often look for a fixed immovable object that they might be able to chain or cable the vehicle to so that it can avoid being completely carried away. However, such securable stations are often few and far between and, even if one is found, the bike though locally secured, will remain otherwise open to pilfering of its contents. It is not uncommon for the personal transportation vehicle owner to return to her vehicle only to find tires missing or storage pockets pillaged.
A closely related problem concerns the exposure to the elements. While passenger cars have sealed cabins protected by roofs and windows, personal transportation vehicles are most often devoid of such protection and are, thus, left exposed even while in temporary storage. Rain, wind, and snow can take their toll on sensitive portions of these vehicles.
Until now, there has been very little in the way of efficient storage solutions for personal transportation vehicles. Certainly, for many years, owners have used various tarps and coverings to protect the vehicles from the environmental elements. Moreover, owners have built brick and mortar buildings for protected home-based security. However, each of these solutions has severe drawbacks. For instance, cloth coverings can easily be compromised by would-be thieves and brick and mortar buildings are expensive and are not portable.
One particularly innovative solution attempts to bridge the gap between simple coverings and brick and mortar buildings by creating a portable security shelter. This invention is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/306,978. However, though the device does answer many of problems associated with personal transportation device storage, the invention falls short in a number of respects.
Many of the problems in the art disclosed by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/306,978 relate to the lid design. First, because of the “clam-shell” design, too much of the mass of the device is placed in the opening lid portion which causes the lid to be quite heavy. Thus, even with the disclosed “support cylinders” the lid can be difficult and awkward to lift. Second, the y-shaped seal configuration wherein the lid meets the base is inefficient to manufacture as it requires excess material and must be unduly precise in formation in order to function properly. Third, the vents of the lid are located on the side of the lid thus allowing dangerous fumes to collect in the void of space from the top of the vent to the top of the lid.
Other problems with the art as disclosed by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/306,978 relate to structural integrity of the device. In order to achieve the broad aims of its specification as it relates to structural soundness, the device of Ser. No. 11/306,978 must be made of a plastic that is unduly thick. This thickness causes increased weight which decreases portability and drastically increases the cost of production.
A final problem in the prior art disclosed by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/306,978 relates to the slope of the side walls, specifically the leading edge, and the front of the lid which meets the leading edge of the side walls. In that disclosure, the front of the lid and the leading edge of the side walls meet at flat, rigid corner. The height of these side walls poses problems for the user who rides her vehicle into the device because her feet must maneuver around these wall openings when mounting or dismounting the vehicle.